TG Gift Guide 07 – Keyboards & Mice

Finding ourselves in the middle of the Holidays, we asked ourselves whether or not it would be prudent to do another holiday gift guide like the one we compiled around this time last year. The overall consensus of us all was that we should do another list to provide some form of insight on our thoughts concerning current hardware available that you or I might like to receive for Christmas, Chanukah or whatever you might celebrate in the coming weeks.

While parents by the millions ransack their local shops, trying to get everything they need to prove that they love their children the mostest, I would assume (read: hope) that you all are more likely to avoid the chaos and think over a few different items before placing that order online or braving the local department store for that oh-so-special gift.

While it’s true that every self respecting tech site has their own gift guide in place, we would like to fall in line and present our own list of potential gifts in the hopes that it makes your gift giving experience a little easier during this stressful time of year. That and we like to hear ourselves talk.

As in our earlier guides, this isn’t simply a dream machine list. Anyone can piece together a top dollar machine but how many of you can afford such a rig? I certainly can’t so to help everyone out there like me, we also look at hardware that runs the entire pricing spectrum. From the bargain bin products to the before mentioned dream gear, we’re confident that you can find something in your price range, and more importantly, something that the person you have in your gift giving sights will use and enjoy well into the new year.

Next up is the mouse. Long used as a simple pointing device, the lowly mouse has played a crucial role in the development of the PC and how we use them. From graphics to gaming, the mouse can help you finish that overdue 3D modeling project or help you delay it further by allowing you to continue slacking off, racking up head shot after head shot in counter strike and online play in Command and Conquer. That’s at least that how it went for me in college, I don’t know about you.

Budget (>$35)

Anyway, for our budget offering, we have chosen the Microsoft 6000 black 5 button mouse. Equipped with a frickin’ laser, the romantically named Microsoft 6000 (B7G-00004) has everything needed to enjoy smooth movement for everyday users. Lacking adjustable DPI settings, the mouse is not recommended for gaming but the 6000 will suffice and with its extra buttons, extra in game functions can be programmed to the keys for added convenience.

I personally own a pair of these mice and picked them up at the local Staples simply because they are cheap (can be found for under $30USD online) and comfortable to use for extended periods of time. For those that don’t need anything fancy like lights and other fancy functions, the Microsoft 6000 laser mouse gets my recommendation as a versatile, high quality mouse that anyone can use for any amount of time… cheaply.

Mid-Range (>$60)

For our mid range selection, the Razer Death Adder is one of our personal favorites as far as mice are concerned. We looked at this mouse back in March and felt it was good enough to warrant an Editor’s Choice award. Available online for around $50 (US), the Death Adder brings a lot to the table. Gamers will like its advanced 3G infrared sensor and its fast 1000Hz Ultrapolling while everyday users can appreciate the large non-slip buttons and an overall comfortable design guaranteed to go easy on any hand.

Other notable features are its large Teflon pads, programmable buttons and a very thin seven foot cord that terminates at a gold plated USB adapter. The Death Adder from Razer could easily have been placed in the upper high end category with its tremendous build quality and bevy of features but the fact that it can be bought for around $50, it’s easily falls in our mid range pricing grid.

High-End (<$60)

Filling in the high end section of our list is the widely popular Logitech MX Revolution. The MX Revo was evaluated by our fearless leader back in August of 2006 and in that time; not much has changed in our eyes. Bringing to the table reliable wireless interaction and what I can only describe as the greatest wheel on a mouse ever, the MX Revo is easily the best offering available for PC users.

While it’s not the greatest mouse suited for gaming available, the MX is more than capable of offering top level performance when fragging away late into the night. What it lacks in adjustable DPI, it more than makes up for in comfort and design. Did we mention the scroll wheel? I suppose we did already but it really can’t be talked about enough. The free flow of the wheel is great for scrolling through text and web pages.

Other Offerings

As in our motherboard gift guide, we would like to offer up a few more considerations for those of you who might not agree with our selections above. These are products that might not have fit into the categories used but are none the less quality offerings from their respective manufacturer.

Logitech MX518: The MX518 is easily my favorite mouse on the planet. While it’s been around for quite some time, the feel of the Logitech kidney bean design has been a personal favorite of mine for as long as I can remember. The MX518 represents exceptional versatility and has been on my gaming rig for well over a year now.

Logitech G9: First out of the gate with a review of the G9, the latest gaming offering from Logitech was quite controversial when production photographs leaked into the tubes prior to release. In our review, the G9 turned out to be a remarkable mouse for those gamers who use their fingers more than their palms to control the mouse. With its adjustable rates and highly programmable buttons, the G9 is a wonderful addition to any gaming PC build.

Microsoft Habu: Looking at the Habu back in April, Rob was pleasantly surprised at the overall design of the end product of Razer and Microsoft collaboration. With its pleasant blue glow and the distinctive feel of a Microsoft mouse, the Habu should be a consideration for anyone looking to get a great mouse for that special gamer on their list.

We hope that it helped you in your purchasing decisions this season, and if you are left with any additional questions or comments, please feel free to post in our related thread! No registration is required to post within this thread. Happy holidays!